The Corrupted Kingdom
by theindecisivewreck
Summary: It's been five years since the Dai Li captured Ba Sing Se's airbenders. Five years since Jinora and Team Avatar failed to rescue Kai. Jinora goes undercover to rescue the green-eyed thief only to find that her mission will be longer and more difficult than expected.
1. Chapter 1

Jinora's green clothes sticks to her uncomfortably, the fabric too silky and tight compared to the rough and looseness of her airbending clothes. Going in disguise in Ba Sing Se is the hardest, Jinora thinks glumly. She almost always answers 'Jinora' when being asked her name. The slur of words coming out as "Jin- I mean, Linh" with flushing cheeks and false reassuring smiles. The last time she was here the Dai Li banned Team Avatar from coming here ever again in pursuit of a green-eyed thief.

_Kai_, Jinora bites the inside of her cheeks worriedly. On the night of rescuing the boy, risking to help him escape, the Dai Li had almost all of them cornered, Asami saved them with a rope ladder extending from the overhead airship. Kai was the last to get on, Jinora thinks bitterly. The Dai Li, always known to be keen, shot a fist of earth towards him, clasping onto his arm. All Jinora could do was watch his eyes widen in surprise and his hand let go, he fell from the height and the Dai Li caught him. She recalls him screaming something on his way down yet she doesn't remember quite what he screamed. The wretched men carried the thief away as he hit the floor soundlessly.

Kai has always been a difficult topic with Team Avatar, they never know how to talk about it around Jinora.

She sniffles suddenly, not wanting anyone to spot a girl randomly start sobbing in the middle of a busy street. Jinora sits herself down at a tea shop, the Jasmine Dragon. Recognition of the name irks at the edge of her mind yet she waves it off. Her mind carries, remembering the turn of events long ago.

She remembers watching the Earth Walls close from the airship. Everything blurry from the gathering of tears in her eyes. Later, she was informed Ba Sing Se was in lockdown. No one was able to get in or out, only trusted goods and produce companies that the Queen knew of. None of the team had time to disguise themselves of one of the companies, too busy with running away from newly escaped criminals.

That was five years ago, Jinora recalls in surprise. The Queen out of nowhere announced the opening of the gates. Jinora was sent- least remembered of being in Team Avatar- to find out the whereabout of the airbenders. They recruited almost all of the airbenders known in the world, besides the captured ones. Some of them trained by Jinora herself.

The girl after was able to get her tattoos and labeled as a Master of Airbending. Her hair is no longer patchy but long enough to touch her shoulders now, the strands curving into her neck like they used to. A green bandana covering her blue arrowed forehead and white satin gloves snaking her arms and hands for disguise.

The waitress comes by with a kettle sitting squarely on a tray and a cup beside it, she smiles.

"Enjoy." Her smile, completely sincere, falls while staring behind Jinora's shoulder. The waitress hurriedly heads to the tea shop's kitchen, almost tripping over her ballet flat-ed feet. Jinora turned around to spy a large rows of people, lining the streets. People dressing in green uniform, bearing the kingdom's insignia on their chest. They walk like a marching band, feet stomping rhythmically yet no cheerful music playing. All of the people's faces have set brows and steady gazes, only looking straight ahead. Jinora gazes around at the faces of the other tea customers, she sees scared looks and only but a whisper rings eerily in the shop. "Air soldiers," they say.

Jinora slams a fist full of coins onto the table to pay for the barely touched tea and hastily exits, following the soldiers' march. She watches the soldiers walk down a flight of stairs, following after them. Tunnel vision clouds her mind until thin fingers draw back at the hook of her arm. Jinora turns around to see a boy, most likely like the age of fifteen, her age. If it isn't for his height and the childish hold of his cheeks, she would guess he's older than her. A scar runs up his eyebrow and dark bags seems to age his eyes. Jinora, completely in surprise of the feel of maturity to him, struggles to wring herself from his grasp.

"You can't follow them, I swear they will eat you alive," the boy hisses, eyes huge.

"Follow who? Who said I was following anyone?" Her throat tightens and she silently curses at herself. Jinora never has been good with lying, how the team agreed to send her in disguise is above her head. She partially blames the strictness of her father, always guilt-tripping her into saying the truth.

"Kid," Jinora winces at his words immediately. She hates being called 'kid'. "-You stick out like a sore thumb. And besides, once you get in there they'll spot you and skin you." Jinora wiggles free from his grasp, rubbing her sore arm.

"Anyways, this is none of your business. They're not getting away from me." The guy sighs at Jinora's response, grabs her sides and lifts her up,

"L-let me go!" Jinora struggles in his hold, banging her fists against his arms. For such a weak looking guy he sure has a lot of strength, Jinora notices. He finally drops her in an alley between two shops, stone brick walls surrounding her, she could hear a raccoon-cat meowing. Jinora lands with a thud and glares at her 'kidnapper'.

"Okay, look. I always wanted to peer in there myself yet most of my friends says its a death wish to go alone. And well, no one is stupid enough to come with me," his finger then prods into her chest. "-Not until you came along. I now have more of a reason to go, if I die you come along with me"

"N-no really, I can take care of myse-" He pulls her arm in closely and hisses in her ear.

"If you don't come with, I'll report you." His eyes narrow.

Jinora doesn't want to give away her position, not yet anyways. She nods, hesitantly. A smile stretches across the boy's acne covering face, showing more and more features to his appearance- another scar apparent near his ear and a sort of cold glare to his eyes. They both walk through the exit that the air soldiers took and find themselves in a narrow pathway.

* * *

The pathway is almost like a maze, rooms and halls worm out of the main corridor. Somehow, the boy is able to lead her through the right paths. The only noise that echoes between the walls are their own footsteps. Jinora clears her throat, saying "so, you sure know your way around here." She sees him tense but he immediately relaxes, the boy turns to her- a coy smile across his face.

"I have pretty good hearing, I can hear the footsteps." Jinora strains her ear to listen yet she doesn't hear anything. He seems to tap his fingers across his sides and quickens his pace.

"Sorry- I don't think you got my name. I'm Linh."

"Kiang," the boy said, obviously not looking for a conversation.

Jinora couldn't stand not talking, "have you ever been to the Queen's palace?" Just with that question the boy's eyes lit up. He went on about how he visits there with his father, all the servants serving him and how he wishes he sat on the throne one day. There are sharp edges to his voice, cruel almost with ambition- though Jinora doesn't interrupt. They continue down the main corridor before exiting through a narrow staircase spiraling downward. The steel railing trembles with the two children's stepping. Yet the stepping of Jinora's in particular isn't great, she trips sorely down. In panic, her palms reach out in front of her and she propels a jet of air from her hands to keep her steady. Kiang turns around just to see her little show and Jinora curses under her breath. His eyes in surprise, widen in shock. His unsettling features wavering at last.

"Y-you're an airbender." He sputters out, Jinora smooths out her silk dress, it riding up her blue-arrowed thigh from the fall. His eyes widens even more.

"Yeah, let's get moving," Jinora's expression hardens. The boy nods and continues down the staircase- not before Jinora catching a glimpse of a tag of the kingdom insignia from underneath his coat. She heightens her caution, she isn't the naive girl she was before.

* * *

**A/N: Hey guys! This is my first fic that isn't a oneshot nor a collection of them so reviews are appreciated! I've actually had this story written for awhile yet I never felt like actually uploading it until now. And if you didn't get it, the tea shop Jinora visited was the one Iroh worked at with Zuko before the whole Azula lightning Aang thing. I think Jinora would've heard about it from a book or something.**


	2. Chapter 2

They went on through pathways for what seems to be 2 hours. Specks of green crystals glows from inside of the stone walls- the only things that lights up the halls. The two children finally come across a huge room, pillars supporting the corners of the walls, green and white checkered tiles lining the floor. A large crystal chandelier hangs high on the ceiling. It looks most regal, one that Jinora doesn't expect to be in the middle of a path on her look for the air soldiers. Her heels click at the floor, and her lips tighten, she swears she sees a shadow on the ceiling. At further look, Jinora hides her shock and fear closely yet her voice betrays her with trembling.

"Kiang, wh-where are we?"

"Hm, I swore we took the right directions," a smile plays across his face, stretching out. Jinora notices the smile looks horrid on him, almost stiff and too odd for his cold features. His attempt at grinning looks as if a dentist are pulling at the corners of his lips.

A click in her mind plays out as soon as the shadows spring out at her, the Dai Li grab emptily at her arms. Jinora sends a jet of air at the hanging chandelier above her, rolling quickly away. The chandelier crashes, crystal dust stinging Jinora's eyes. The diversion mostly works, more than half of the Dai Li preoccupied yet not enough. The Dai Li shoots fists of earth at her from within the thick crystal dust in which Jinora dodges quickly. Fear corners her vision with blood pumping through her ears. Clumsiness, as always, strikes at her feet and she nearly falls over her silk dress. She tears the edges of her dress quickly, the once-beautiful clothing now only making its way to her knees. She runs toward the only open door and it enters to a room, the throne room of the Queen.

* * *

More Dai Li grab at her arms, successfully holding Jinora still. They both walk towards the Queen with Kiang standing at Jinora's side, not being held by any soldiers. The Queen sits on her gold throne, her rose-red lips giving a slight twitch upward. Her fingertips, extending with gold claws, taps at the side of her cheek. She looks amused.

"Well, well. A girl trying to sneak her way into my kingdom, ha- an airbender too," gesturing to Jinora's bare tattooed calves. The Queen starts cackling following with the Dai Li fake laughing with her. "To think that you didn't even notice my nephew with you." Kiang prods his chest with his thumb proudly.

"Nephew?" Jinora's voice bubbling with disbelief.

"Like you, I was also undercover. Just visiting around the peasant's city, checking on their loyalty for my Aunt," the boy's voice drawls on. "You weren't so secret as you thought, with you following the soldiers.

"And what for? They would be useless for you bunch, they're merely mindless. Like puppets-" the Queen's eyes widens and glares at her nephew, not pleased.

"Enough, Kiang. Dai Li," she commands, "take her to the prison.." The woman smiles devilishly and the guards escort Jinora back.

* * *

They enter into a stone wall prison, bars and iron doors separating the small rooms from the main hall. The Dai Li pushes her into the room, not before chaining her limbs. _Great, I practically failed the mission,_ Jinora sighs. She lays her back on the bare ground, they didn't even bother to give her a bed. She twists a curl of hair in her hand, her eyes flitting to her arrow tattoo. _Well- maybe not yet._

Jinora brings up her legs in a crossed position while she leans against the rough brick wall. Meditating, she feels herself lift from her body- an airiness to her stance. Once she opens her eyes she can practically see through her blue figure. Jinora explores the halls, trying to look for the room she hoped Kiang would originally bring her towards. The Dai Li never mind to look up even when she floats above them, hearing closely. Jinora almost stops spying two of them-at first all they talked about was the earthbending tournaments until one of them uncharacteristically trips. Dai Li are supposed to be ninja's, graceful in their ruthlessness. Her ear pricks at their voice.

"Agh, that wretched Kai boy. Remember when he broke my leg a year ago?" Jinora assumes that the Dai Li talking to him nods.

"Well he must've injured it badly 'cause I can barely walk straight. I bet the Queen will throw me out…" Jinora leaves excitedly to the next room, _Kai's here!_ That's all she wants to hear as she sinks through the walls.

Though Jinora left too early, the voice continues saying "... good thing his spirits were cut. He could almost be mistaken as a zombie now. Who's laughing now." The two men have a good chuckle, not before discussing on different topics of the such.

* * *

Exploring the halls makes Jinora feel claustrophobic, it is almost like a labyrinth. In the middle of floating suddenly she falls with a thud, static edging her vision, white noise eventually taking over her mind.

"Airbending girl- wake up!" One of the Queen's servants barks. Jinora's eyes shutters open, her spirit back in her body. "I almost thought you were dead, your skin pale as parchment. You'll probably wish you're dead by the end of this," the servant's brown eyes gleams. She is taken roughly to an interrogation room, her arms and legs cuffed and the servant shoving.

"Where's the rest of your friends, are they here too?" The Queen sneers. Jinora bites at her lip, not out of fright but out of anger.

"I'm not telling you anything," the young girl chides. The Queen smiles as if that is exactly something she wants to hear.

"Boys," before anymore explanation, the guys that stood behind Jinora- whom she doesn't notice at first- grips Jinora's metal chair and sends electricity through it. Jinora spasms, biting so hard on her lip she feels drops of blood drip onto her lap. Pain and fear strikes through her like, well, a lightning bolt. The electricity pricks her like a million needles prodding into her skin. The static subsides, leaving Jinora gasping for air.

"And that wasn't even the worst of it," the Queen smiles. She takes her fan and prods upward at Jinora's chin making her look at the grinning malice of the monarch. "Look at me," Jinora stares at the Queen hard, as if she can make her disappear with merely a glare. "I can make you die at the flick of my wrist, girl." She spits. "Answer me, carefully now."

"No. Th-they're not here. Just me." The servant that escorted her stands at the door.

"It's true, my lady. She's not lying," the servant squeaks. _Even the worst people are scared of the Queen_, Jinora notices. She remembers reading a book about how people can tell if someone is lying by their heartbeat, a practice taught by Toph, her grandfather's companion. The bubbly girl she was five years ago would be bombarding the man with questions, asking if she could learn too. All Jinora does is stare the Queen coldly in the eye, answering every question.

"What do you think you can find here?"

"Airbenders."

"Why wait so long with intruding into my kingdom? I figure you have the ability to sneak into my kingdom anyways, even when the walls are closed" Her eyes narrowing. The Queen knows all about the power the avatar has on the law yet she never kept up to date in the last five years with the outside events. The lack of gossip holds a dreadful pang in the monarch's chest. _She doesn't know about the criminals that escaped?_ Jinora bites at her cheek.

"Busy."

"With what?"

"Recruiting other airbenders."

"How do you know of the air soldiers?"

"Don't you remember our raid five years ago?" Jinora snaps. Her fingers twitching just to strangle the Queen.

"Ah yes, that small raid was of no significance- it's hardly my fault for not remembering. And don't be getting furious with me, dear, you know what happens when you do.

"What does the Avatar want with the air soldiers?" The Queen continues.

"To rebuild the Air Nation."

"What would you want with my air soldiers, they're already Ba Sing Se property."

"Property?" Jinora struggles to get out of the chains that are tying her to the seat, "no person, no matter who they are are anyone's property! No person should be kept hostage, fighting someone else's fights!" Jinora struggles under the metal cuffs, almost successfully twisting her hands out of their grasp. The lie-detecting servant comes up to her, restraining her tightly.

"Take her away," the Queen's voice full of disgust. The guards escort her back into the halls, cuffs still clutching tightly to Jinora's wrist. A sudden urge to escape unleashes onto Jinora's actions. Jinora surprises herself, catching them off guard, she shoves her elbow into one of the guards' collarbone. She once read a book about chi blocking. Jinora never really thought she was going to ever use it with air bending at her disposal- yet there she is, pushing into the neck, underarm, and elbow of the surprised men. The Dai Li guarding her, too, tried to catch at her. Jinora pulls her hands out of the cuffs, they slip off and land at her feet. She runs up the walls, sending air to knock them over. One of the Dai Li, attempting to escape from the whole scene, does not go unnoticed. Jinora grabs at his neck, his body struggles for breath

"Where are they keeping the air soldiers?" The man cowers from her grip.

"P-please, the Queen will have me killed!" His words only a slurred gasp. Her grip on him loosens only slightly, giving him enough air to talk. "Where?"

"Th-that way." He sputters pointing at a turn of the hall. Jinora turns on her heels with her shoes clicking before her- not before she breaks his neck. His limp body hitting the floor with a thud, in no more need of air. As she takes a turn through the hall her mind fills with an image of her 10 year old self, tsking disappointingly. Probably telling her that she could have gave a gentler approach to the whole situation. Probably telling her she shouldn't have killed him. Probably telling her that she's becoming as cold hearted as the Earth Queen.

In which she shrieks, "Shut up!" Her fingers through her hair and her teeth gritting. "I'm doing the right thing. The right thing..." Jinora echoes. If she's doing the right thing, how come she can feel a stray tear slide down her cheek?

* * *

**A/N: As always, reviews are appreciated!**


	3. Chapter 3

Jinora only has to chi block five of the Dai Li, only getting bruised by flying rocks once. She walks through a turn of the hall that extends with bedrooms spilling out. Her feet move soundlessly across the floor, careful not to wake anyone up. The soldiers, both men and women, even look alert while sleeping. Their arms at sides and their back to the mattress. Soldiers.

Their bare arms are lean with muscle, scars are etched in places of their skin. She passes by a girl, one a bit younger than her, with ugly bruises around her eye- ringing her closed eyelids. It's disgusting. All of the soldiers look a bit malnourished- probably just enough to still be well enough to serve the Earth Kingdom.

Jinora wants to save them all- take them all back with her the very instant. Though she is only looking for one for now, a very specific one.

In the fifth room- the bed on the bottom in the nearest south west corner- is a sleeping Kai, breathing softly with closed eyelids.

He sleeps like the rest, like a soldier. Bruises round his arms- Jinora noticing how broad they are. He looks older, his hair still in an undercut yet his hair long in a ponytail- exactly like Uncle Sokka, Jinora recalls. Kai shows a broader face, aged greatly, scars chipping into his dark tan skin. Jinora leans into him, her heart beating loudly.

"Kai, Kai," her voice hardly a whisper- she's been an. With a start, his eyes snap open. He bolts into a sitting position. His emerald eyes squint at her, the green orbs glowing in the darkness of the bedroom. Jinora staggers back in surprise. "Kai, I'm getting you out of h-" His foot springs at her chest, launching her back into the wall. The walls shake.

Jinora is barely able to cross her arms over her face, defending herself against a burst of wind.

"Kai!" Her voice shrieks, she doesn't care anymore who's she's waking up. "What are you doing?! I'm getting you out of here!"

"Who's Kai?" His voice deep and just a croak- as if he isn't used to speaking. His fist launches for her face but she escapes with a flip over him, standing behind him.

He turns around and swings his foot over to her side. Catching it, Jinora flips him over- suddenly finding herself onto of him his, his arms pinned to the ground. The other soldiers start to wake too, some sounding alarms, most just blocking the exits. All watching the fight with the same steel expression Kai is wearing.

Everything slows as Jinora watches Kai, not hesitating to fight her. To his advantage, he uses his weight over Jinora and twists their bodies so he's ontop of her. His fist runs through her nose, a large crack heard from her nose bridge. Blood runs down her lip.

"Kai- I don't want do this, snap out of it! I'm Jinora!" If he heard her, he doesn't show it. Jinora grits her teeth as she kicks up to his groin **(****A/N: Sorry, Kai)**. His grip on her weakens and she pulls herself out. Kai recovers quickly and air shoots from his fists. Jinora's eyes flits up and down from his stance- legs apart, shoulders tense- similar to an earthbender. Nothing inside of him is like airbender- other than the ability, of course.

He's long gone from convincing. Jinora sighs, a small mutter of "I'm sorry, Kai," is heard from her lips as she strikes at his sides. His body limp and paralyzed on the floor.

Everything is in the heat of the moment and Jinora isn't so sure what to do next. She wraps her arms around his chest and produces an air spout around them, pushing her upwards, carrying the weight of the boy. The ceiling and about a dozen other floors break above her, letting her through. A few seconds later she finds herself at the surface, it appears they both end up in an alley between several houses.

The air soldiers attempt to pursue them both but thanks to the way the Earth Kingdom taught them, they couldn't do the move as successfully as Jinora. Making an air spout to support your own weight is one of the trickier airbending move- it took Jinora awhile to master.

She drags Kai along with her, his body still limp. The house she visits still has the lights on- even in the early morning. Her knocks sound hesitant yet steady even with Jinora feeling shaky- her shoulders trembling. The expression from the man who answers to her knocking on the door is most bewildered. The man, most likely of a grandfather's age, sporting thick whisker-y grey eyebrows and long straggly hair. Dark bags layer his eyes and give him a grave expression, one that Jinora finds in every civilian of Ba Sing Se. Jinora can't imagine what he is thinking of when he sees a girl with a bloody nose in a torn dress dragging a boy on his doorstep.

"Help.. Please." At the desperation of the girl's voice, he looks around warily and gestures for them to come in. The man carries Kai over his shoulder and walks down towards the basement, later resting him on a dusty bed. Jinora expected him to be bombarding her with questions yet all he asks is "would you want some tea?" Jinora only responds tiredly, her head nodding. He sets down a kettle, a couple of rolls of bandages and a wet towel. She looks at him questionable.

"You might need these for your head there." The airbender follows the man's gaze and her fingertips led upward to her forehead, blood sticks to her fingers warmly. From the contact the split skin buzzes with pain. She only winces, hastily wiping the cut with the towel. She finds a small fragment of wood in the cut, sticky with blood. The wood must have flew in from her breaking so many floors- Jinora mentally notes to check her body for more cuts- who knows what other injuries she can't feel from shock?

"I, uh- didn't notice," she replies. The man keeps close to the windows, peeking through the blinds.

"The Dai Li will search all the houses soon."

"Are you going to report us?" Jinora can't hide the worry in her voice, too tired to hide any of her emotions now.

"No, don't be foolish, girl. I have a place where I can keep the two. My name is Tuan, rude for you not to ask what name is the man that is hiding you." A ghost of a smile rose on his lips from the flustered airbender wrapping a bandage around her head.

"I- I'm sorry. I'm Li-" Jinora has a second thought on how she should introduce herself. She shouldn't be keeping secrets from someone showing her hospitality. She clears her voice, glad to finally say "My name is Jinora."

* * *

**A/N: The whole Kai air soldier thing reminds me of Bucky (Captain America) after writing this. Well.. whoops. At least I didn't completely copy it with "Who the hell is Kai?" I was half tempted to do so though.**

**Just a heads up just to say that I won't be updating as often as I am now (which now that I think of it, isn't so often). I'll try to finish the story but who knows, I've been working on others so this might just be one I update monthly or maybe not even so. The next update might be soon-ish since it's already written.**

**Anyways, thank you for reading, and reviews -as always- are appreciated!**


	4. Chapter 4

Jinora wakes up to rays of sunlight furrowing out of the partially shut blinds. Her vision refocuses to the man, Tuan, shaking at her shoulder

"The Dai Li are coming." he croaks. Tuan's eyes are bloodshot, and Jinora wonders how long he's been up waiting for the Dai Li. She makes note to thank him afterwards.

He ushers her over to the basement. Before going down the shady wooden steps, she looks back at the couch she slept on. Jinora finds no traces of blood, or half-drank tea cups, he probably cleaned after that too. The darkness almost entirely engulfs her as she enters the steps of the basement, the walls only somewhat lit by small little square light installed into the concrete walls.

Tuan stops by to the still unconscious Kai and lifts him up on his shoulders. Kai seemed heavier than expected because Tuan let out a struggled breath. Jinora immediately came to his side, Kai's arm draped around her shoulder. She can feel the harsh tone of muscle from his limb, several scars brushing against her.

"I had this basement custom built," Tuan explains. "No earthbender- not even Toph herself- can detect the passageway from underneath these tiles." He gestures to a couple of stone tiles and Jinora can recognize the two tiles' color different from the rest of the flooring. Tuan lets go of Kai and shifts the tile over, revealing a steep staircase.

"I'm sorry, you'll have to travel down there yourself. I can barely carry this young man and I'm not so sure I can go down those many steps; you'll have to do so yourself." Tuan rests Kai on the ground and Jinora drags him down the steps carefully, she only glances up once to mouth 'thank you' before being closed off by the tile. She's stuck with an unconscious brainwashed airbender in the dark.

* * *

Jinora isn't completely fearless as she wants to be- she wants to be a heroine, fighting off villains with no help needed but she can't help but not shake off the fear of the darkness, she can't see a thing. It takes her what seems like an hour- she can't tell- until she finds the bottom. A giant cavern stretches out, the whole cave illuminated.

"Woah…" Green crystals sprout from the cavern floor, lighting the whole area.

It reminds her of Kai's eyes, just for a moment, before remembering what it looked like when he attacked her- the green irises burning with a warrior's flame. She isn't here just for Kai, how selfish of her to only think of him and not the massive army that the Queen conjured up. Korra's voice spoke quietly in her mind, "_Contact me once you get a hold of them._"

Jinora pulls in her legs from beneath her, her shallow breaths pooling into a cloud.

"Spirits," she breaths, "help me." As expected, a space of air in front of her shimmers. The light refracts and bends into a spirit, looking similar to a rodent of some kind.

"Can I send a message to Avatar Ko-" the spirit interrupts with a buzz of annoyance. _Nearly incoherent humming escaped the translucent mouse-thing, the hums translate in her mind clearly. I wish not to serve you._

Jinora blinks before tilting her head to the side. "Come again?"

_You have been corrupted- you have entirely lost harmony in yourself and with others around you. We, spirits, have lost respect for you._

"Wh-what do you mean?" Jinora's voice only of offense.

There will be no message to Avatar Korra.

With that, the animal dissipates. Jinora bangs her fists against the hard cave floor, immediately regretting her decision after the sides of her hands throb. She cradles her injured hand to her chest. The Spirits would come through to her- Jinora just knows it. They don't understand how much she needs them, and how infuriating they could be. She'll find a way, she knows it.

* * *

**AN: Woo, finally got it done after exactly a month. Well, it didn't take me a whole month to write this super short chapter but I got preoccupied. And sorry that I gave false promises last chapter about this chapter 'being updated soon'. My urges to write are really unpredictable. ****I'll hopefully update the rest of my fics soon too, I've been busy with school.**

**But anyways, I just remembered this is my first fic updated since the ending of LOK. I was almost close to tears seeing Korra in 'that' state and I almost can't wait to see what Book 4 will bring.**

**Anyways, thank you for reading and don't be afraid to send reviews! **


	5. Chapter 5

Kai wakes up with his head aching and his nerves seeming doused, all his movements fuzzy and blurry- slow too. It takes awhile to make out the figure standing above him, the girl that woke him up hours ago. Just looking at her sends a barking pain to the back of his head, his brain like a warzone.

**_It's Jinora, you remember her, right?_** A voice said. The voice is familiar, the voice is squeaky but it's of a younger boy's. Himself, all those years ago. A wave of dizziness hits him and his hand flies to his head. It's like a storm in his head- the rain pounding on his scalp.

"Why would I remember her?" Kai muttered to himself, half expecting no answer. The girl, Jinora, looks at him before sending out a sigh of relief. Or is it worry? He couldn't make it out.

"Good, you're awake," she says. "You'll have some trouble moving but I bet your limbs will come back to their senses soon." _Chi blocking: an ancient technique used in combat,_ a thought buzzes. _The technique can paralyze the use of muscles if used. When used on a bender, this can also render their ability useless._ Kai waves away the thought, he probably read about chi blocking in the training camps of the Earth Kingdom. His mind always sends in forgotten information when needed- like an instant encyclopedia.

"Where am I?!" He orders. She doesn't answer, just twirls a curl of dried blood covered hair between her fingers.

"Who are you?"

"I'm Ji-"

"I know that," he snaps, his eyes narrowing. The girl doesn't flinch but he could read the guarded look on her face. At least she considered him a threat. "Who do you work for? The Earth Kingdom's enemies? The Southern Water Tribe? Or maybe you're one of the-"

"Who do you think I am?" She interrupts, if he didn't know better her voice sounded disappointed. Who is she, his own thoughts buzz. His eyes skip over her, taking in everything. Her eyes are brown- an uncommon color. Possibly firebender or maybe non-bender. But the shape of her jaw is strong- similar to the Water Tribe but there is something else. Something else.

_Her hair. Isn't it in a bun?_ It isn't. Her brown hair fell to her shoulders- why did he think it was in a bun?

His mind seems cloudier than usual, he blames it on his nerving headache and the world rocking around him.

"How should I know?" For a moment, he could see how the world fell beneath her from him saying those words. As if he confirmed something. At least he got more information- he meant something to her… But what?

She removes the expression from her face with a slight shake of her head. The girl smooths out her dress even when it's already in tatters. Her dress is ripped around her thighs, and long blue arrows pour down her legs like waterfalls. It isn't familiar.

"No reason. Who are _you_?" She questions back.

"Soldier 792, faithful server of the Earth Queen," he recites as he would to the Dai Li. Apparently that wasn't the answer she was looking for because she let out an exasperated groan.

"No _name?_ Anything?"

"I will not answer to the person putting me hostage. I will escape... Once the world stops spinning." He never had a name. Soldier 792 is his label. He is Soldier 792.

"Good luck with that," the girl says, amusement edging her voice. He growls, shoving his palm into his forehead. The world whirls and turns, and he pushes down the nausea further.

The girl flickers over him, a flash of yellow and orange then back to green. _Hallucinations,_ a thought occurs.

He can't hold the thought any longer- the headaches turn into rapids, thrashing on his brain like bullets. He sees the blur of the girl racing towards him before his head meets the cave floor.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry for it being short... again. But at least I know where the story is _actually_ going. Most of the time when I'm writing I have a terrible time with planning things out and end up just going with whatever. I have no patience to plan out details.**

**Thank you for reading and don't forget to send in a review! And to those who have, thanks!**


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